Best work experience to gain to get into Clinical Psychology Doctorate

sokitume san

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the long post. I'm looking for some feedback on whether the steps I am taking below will be beneficial to get into a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (in Ireland / UK).

I'm starting a Masters in Applied Psychology this September and I am currently working one day a week (unpaid) in a hospital clinical psychology department which I hope to increase. This placement is not very structured so it requires me to be very proactive in getting people to give me work and to shadow them. Sometimes when there is no work, I spend my time reading textbooks to pass the time, which can be demotivating as I am giving my time for free and would like to keep busy with tasks during the time I am there. I am hoping however that this type of placement will sound good on my CV as it will give me a reference from a clinical psychologist and it gives me exposure to working in a clinical setting.

I have also a potential placement in a community counseling setting (working with psychotherapists and psychologists). This placement has asked me to get professional indemnity insurance (which I pay for myself) and find an external supervisor (which I will also pay for). As I am not qualified in counseling, I can really only shadow counseling sessions right? So for me this placement sounds really good to get experience in a community setting but these extra costs are off putting (and perhaps not necessary?).

I'd love to get your feedback and perhaps suggestions on other paths to gain the right experience? I have previously worked for 2 years in a Charity offering online one to one and group support, as a carer and community development volunteer but this experience so far does not seem to be what they are looking for in Clinical Psychology. I would love to continue working in a paid job but it seems I need to work for free to get the right experience so I'd like to make sure all this working for free pays off.

Thanks!

Odysseus

sokitume san wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

I have also a potential placement in a community counseling setting (working with psychotherapists and psychologists). This placement has asked me to get professional indemnity insurance (which I pay for myself) and find an external supervisor (which I will also pay for). As I am not qualified in counseling, I can really only shadow counseling sessions right? So for me this placement sounds really good to get experience in a community setting but these extra costs are off putting (and perhaps not necessary?).


Thanks!

I can't really help you with the Doctorate, if you need insurance and supervision it soundslike they would be looking for you to engage in clinical work. You have to start somewhere, you can't get qualified to work clinically without doing some clinical work. Have a chat with them, but I can't see you doing a placement in a community setting without doing clinical work; and for this you need insurance and supervision.

For example I will only take placements to do clinical work; people differ but I will not allow students to sit in on sessions, I start them off on assessments and see how the go from. Plus starting to build your clinical hours will help when you apply for the doctorate.

Best of look with it.

sokitume san

Thanks a million Odysseus. This is really helpful. Would love to hear other people's thoughts too.

JuliusCaesar

sokitume san wrote: »

As I am not qualified in counseling, I can really only shadow counseling sessions right?

I can't understand a placement requiring you to do counselling if you aren't qualified in it, and if you're not doing a course in it - which would be providing the insurance and clinical supervision. :eek:

Neither can I see an insurance company providing you with insurance in those circumstances. Although...